Delirium
by Subaru Shojo
Summary: Kenshin must decide between his past and his present [K&K fic, with a bit of T&K, A&M, S&M] Note:Tomoe is dead she didn't revive or something. FINALLY I CAN UPDATE!! Sorry for making you wait! [ch. 5]
1. Fog

Delirium

By: Subaru Shôjo

Author notes; I don't own RK nor their characters, bla bla bla…

A K&K, K&T , and hints of S&M, A&M. Little bit of romance, action and drama.

"…" they are talking, ~*~ change of scene or place. '…' thoughts. *….* flashback, _cursive_ quotes.

~*~ 

_Goodnight nice to meet you._

_You were like any other girl_

_After 5 minutes you became someone special_

_Without talking without touching me something inside lit up._

_In your eyes it was late and I forgot about the clock._

_This days by your side, really taught me._

_That there's no determined time to begin loving._

_I feel something so deep that has no explanation._

_There's no logic nor reason in my heart._

_(Sin Bandera, "Entra en mi vida")_

~*~

Chapter 1: Fog

"Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin leaped from branch to branch to get her. Kenshin had a fight on the woods, Kaoru was so worried she had decided to follow him. She wanted Kenshin to return back with her. His opponent wasn't too skilled, so it wasn't difficult for Kenshin to defeat him. But what Kenshin didn't know, was that it was all a trap. First the bait, then the trap. The men that planned this had not assumed that Kaoru would be there, so they decided to attack her so she couldn't interfere. She was shot with a poisoned kunai. And she was now in the middle of the woods bleeding profusely, she was still walking heavily towards the place where Kenshin was fighting. But she was getting weaker and weaker, so now she didn't know where she was. Kenshin had sensed her ki and was trying to track her. But she was nowhere to be found. Later on, he saw a body lying on a dead tree. 

It was her.

"Kaoru-dono!" he tried to move her slightly, worry was shown on his almost amber eyes.

'Whomever had done this would not live to tell it" he said in a husky voice. He carried Kaoru over his back, skipping from tree to tree. Some ninjas where hopping around no letting Kenshin pass. Thousands of kunais were sent to them, but Kenshin blocked them with his sakabatou. Kenshin positioned Kaoru in a way he was the shield, so any kunai could reach her. 

She needed some medical attention and she needed it quick.

Kenshin rushed into Megumi's clinic, laying her on the examination table, Megumi wasn't anywhere to be seen. He looked in every place of the clinic. Some patients outside looked in horror at the stressed rurouni. There she was! She was outside carrying Sano along Katsu. Sano was in a terrible condition. Kenshin eyes widened. He had some kunai injuries too! He tried to help Megumi, as he laid Sano in another examination table.

"What happened to her?" Megumi asked seriously, as she saw Kaoru lying on the table, still bleeding profusely.

"She was shot by a kunai, but I don't know why she is bleeding so much, kunais can't do deep wounds to provoke an hemorrhage" Kenshin said, changing the clothe he had put on to stop the bleeding.

"It can if the kunai reached an artery, she may have some internal hemorrhages as well" She said looking sorrowfully at the girl she was attending. She was pale, and her lips were a creepy kind of blue. Megumi examined the injury as she frowned deeply. Sano was healthier, he was along with Kenshin, the look Megumi had wasn't giving them any hope.

"This kunai is poisoned," she said as she extracted the object, pointing out some strange liquid at the point. Kenshin deepened his gaze. Sano frowned.

"And as I've said, the kunai pierced an artery, not the aorta, but it seems the poison is already on her blood" she said in a sad thoughtful voice. Kenshin eyes widened, Sano slammed his fist on the wall. Megumi bent her head, as she placed some bandages over her chest.

"I don't know any antidote for this kind of poison, but I'm sure someone does…the Oniwabanshu" she said shortly, capturing the attention of the both men.

"This is an Oniwabanshu kunai, so is the poison" she said putting the kunai in a tray.

"You mean, Shinomori did all this?" Sanosuke said amazed. Kenshin only looked down at her, his hand brushing slightly hers.

"I'm not quite sure, this kunai is an antique one, Oniwabanshu used this kind of kunais before" she said bringing the tray to them.

"As you may see, even if I pour some water on to it, the liquid doesn't dissolves after all" Kenshin looked closely at the object as his frown deepened. Sano crossed his arms on his chest. "This proves, that maybe the poison is attached to the artery walls, it must be a herbal poison, some herbal poisons have this trait, to be sticky" Megumi continued. 

"So, what are we waiting for? Let's go to Kyoto and beat them of! We gotta get that antidote quick, for Jo-chan's sake!" Sano said clutching his fists. 

"I'm not that sure that Okina and the others made this to Kaoru-dono, de gozaru" Kenshin tried to stop the overwhelmed gangster. Megumi rolled her eyes as she touched Sano on the back of his head, making him to fall over.

"That will give us some time. On the other hand, the rooster head is right, we have to go to Kyoto for the antidote, I'm sure the Oniwabanshu has it" Megumi declared. Kenshin nodded. 

"But what about Kaoru-dono? Must we travel with her? I don't think we should, Megumi-san" Kenshin said looking down to her. Megumi sighed in disbelieve.

"I'm afraid that we should, even if she's delicate right now, and although the traveling might get her worst, we could save some time if we take her to the place her antidote is" 

"And if I bring it to her?" Kenshin said, worry was drawn on his whole face.

"The trip to Kyoto lasts like 3 or 4 days, now, if you bring it, she'll be waiting for 6 to 8 days. The sooner, the better Ken-san, I know you're worried for her. But all we can do is hope that she's strong enough during our way to Kyoto." Megumi placed Sano on the table, she removed some bandages, the baka rooster head, had injured his fist again.

"When shall we go, Megumi-san?" the rurouni asked. Megumi looked at the clock.

"In a hour" she said shortly, Kenshin looked at the clock, then he went outside to inform Yahiko. As he got to the dojo, he saw the boy walking like a desperate lion in a jail. Then he noticed Kenshin, he ran to him.

"Where on earth have you been?!!" He yelled, Kenshin tried to calm him. Kenshin informed the boy about what had happened. Yahiko's eyes bulged out when he heard about Kaoru's injuries. He wanted to go with them, but Kenshin told him that his duty was to stay and protect the dojo. Dr. Genzai and his granddaughters were also going to stay. Yahiko was sad when he heard this, but Kenshin told him that he had a great responsibility. It could be dangerous leaving him alone, considering that he was the only one with fighting skills. Yahiko cheered up a little bit, and then he reassured Kenshin that he would protect the dojo. 

"Promise me that all you will come back to Tokio alive!" Yahiko said, waving his hand to the rurouni. Kenshin nodded. No, he would not let Kaoru-dono die. Yahiko frowned as he saw Kenshin's yukata darker on the back of his left shoulder. He ran to reach him.

"Hey, Kenshin, Daijabou? It seems you have a cut over your shoulder" Yahiko said pointing the darker part. Kenshin smiled as he checked his shoulder, he hadn't even notice. It was a small spine, maybe from the branches of the spiny bushes.

"It's all right, it's just a little scrape" he said showing him the little spine. 

"Huh? Don't fool me Kenshin, a little spine doesn't make you blood like that" he said checking his shoulder.

"Yahiko, don't worry, I'm on my way to Megumi-san's clinic, she'll check it later" he said as he started his walk towards the clinic. Yahiko dropped the subject, entering the dojo. While he was walking to the clinic, he passed by the riverbank. He looked up as the moon shone in a melancholic way. The thing that caught his attention was that fireflies were flying around. He was hypnotized by their green twinkle. He followed them as many others were posing over the riverbank.

"Kenshin!" he heard someone call him. He walked further. 

"Kenshin! Where were you?" that voice…Kenshin approached more, his eyes bulged out.

"Ka-ka-Kaoru-dono! What are you doing here?! You're supposed to be in Megumi's clinic!" he said looking at her.

"But I'm feeling much better, daijabou Kenshin?" she asked. He nodded.

"Why are you here?" he asked, she was almost dying and she was here, looking at the riverbank as if nothing had happened.

"I decided to take a walk, what was your answer? Well, before he…" she asked nervously, Kenshin looked puzzled.

"My answer?" he repeated. Kaoru started to play with her fingers.

"Hai, have you given him an answer?" Kaoru tried to explain.

"But Okubo is dead" Kenshin said, this was so weird.

"Aa. I heard the news" her gaze saddened. 'What's going on?!!' he thought.

"Kaoru-dono, that happened a year and a half!" his voice was a little bit louder. Now was Kaoru's turn to frown.

"Are you all right? Okubo was murdered today!" she said panicking. Now both of the where in shock.

"It can't be…" he said still shocked.

"Yes, but they said there was a group of revolutionary men that were against this government" she said, her hands clasped over her lap. 'Maybe if I follow…' he thought, he cleared his throat.

"He was killed by Shishio's servant, Seta Soujiro" he said expecting her reaction. 

"So, what are you going to do?" she said worriedly. Kenshin was shocked. He shook his head. 'Follow…' he remembered.

"I have to go to Kyoto immediately" he said in a kind voice.

"So, are you going to kill again?" 

"I don't know…I don't want to put you, any of you in danger" he said, his eyes longing. Her lips began to tremble. He embraced her as he remembered. Everything was exactly the same as the day he had left. As he followed the same things he made before, he heard her cry. What was all this about? Was he getting insane?

"Kuso Kenshin! We've been waiting for you?! What were you doing on the riverbank?" Sano grabbed Kenshin from the collar of his yukata. Kenshin opened his mouth, but he knew Sano wouldn't believe him. He sighed. Maybe this entire Kaoru thing was messing him up. They got to Megumi's clinic; Megumi was tapping her foot on the floor, each hand over her hip.

"Why did you take so long?" Megumi snorted, Sano pointed Kenshin, he only smiled sheepishly.

"Well, who's going to carry Kaoru?" Megumi asked, Kenshin offered first. Megumi smiled, it was tangible that this redheaded rurouni loved the tanuki girl.

"Well, it's too late now, and I don't want to risk any of you, why don't we stay here for the night, and tomorrow morning we leave?" Sano suggested, Megumi and Kenshin agreed. As Sano and Megumi arranged some blankets and pillows for Kenshin and Sano, Kenshin walked where Kaoru was lying, she had a feverish face, her skin was so pale, and he could barely recognize her. She wasn't his Kaoru-dono, she was so genki, so happy, this couldn't be Kaoru, she couldn't, no way… He took a chair and he sat and watched her. She was breathing heavily, and sweat covered all her sleeping face. He would give anything to see her eyes again. He silently prayed Kami-sama for her health.

"Kenshin, you must rest, Sano is already on his futon, why don't you do the same?" Megumi suggested in a kind, soft voice. Kenshin nodded. He was tired. He yawned as he was lead to the room where Sanosuke was already snoring. Megumi gave him some cotton.

"It will help you" she said with little sweat drops over her face. Kenshin looked puzzled at her, she blushed as she got out of the room. He removed his yukata, his scrape had stopped blooding. He smiled; yes it was only a scrape. He laid on the futon.

The next morning 

Kenshin's eyes opened slowly as some rays of light passed through the window. Sanosuke was sleeping, but his snores were louder. He covered his ears as he went out of the room, and he dressed up. He walked where Kaoru was. Megumi was changing the bandages, spilling some water and herbal pomade on her wounds. Megumi smiled as he saw the rurouni looking at her work.

"Ohayo Ken-san" she said politely, Kenshin smiled to her.

"Ohayo Megumi-san, how's Kaoru-dono?" he asked looking at Kaoru, a little of color had returned to her cheeks.

"She's a little bit better, so we must go in 5 minutes, could you go to the market for some chamomile? It's like two blocks away" she said washing her hands on the washbasin.

"Hai de gozaru, I'll be right back" he said leaving the clinic.

"Kenshin!" Megumi called out. Kenshin turned. 

"Watch out, it's too foggy outside, many carriages are in this streets" she warned. Kenshin frowned.

"Fog? It's been a while since the last foggy day" he said vaguely. Megumi nodded.

"Aa. But in the news it had said that there would be foggy days the next 3 days, so be careful while you are walking" she said. Kenshin nodded as he exited the clinic. He walked through the streets; few people were walking over it. And many markets closed. It has been like two years and a half since the last foggy day. The fog gave the streets a creepy touch. Kenshin saw an old man sitting over the streets, he was a storyteller. A blanket nailed to the wall, said 'Fairy tales, Legends, True stories and myths about Japan, if you want to hear them it cost 2000 yens' Kenshin scratched his head. The old man was looking at him, he was always looking straight. He was blind.

"Oh, ohayo minna-sama!" The old man saluted. 'Everyone? It's only me' Kenshin thought.

"Did you know young man, that foggy days are special?" the old man started, Kenshin looked down at him. Kenshin shook his head, he was in a hurry and he didn't need some legend or myth right now.

"I now you're in a hurry, but this might be something of your interest" Kenshin eyes widened, 'how did he know?' he thought.

"Foggy days are special because the ancient said that fog brings an opportunity to the ones that have many sins. An opportunity to solve the problems to their past. And I can see, not with this blind eyes, but with the eyes of my heart, that your past forbids you to grow and live your life in peace…" The old man finished. Kenshin was so shocked, he shook his head. He had to go. 'How could he know?' he asked himself. As he began to run.

"Don't worry! The fog will free you!" The old man shouted. Kenshin's heart began to beat faster and faster. That old man was nuts, it was only a myth, right? Then he calmed down; he began to wander on the streets. No market was opened. He had to hurry, Megumi was waiting for him.

"Matte! Matte! Hitokiri Battousai!" Kenshin froze, he knew that voice, and his heartbeat began to accelerate. He turned around slowly; it was she, the boken pointing him straightly. He couldn't talk, her eyes were so determined. His mouth finally let out some words.

"T-t-tomoe-san?!!" he asked in awe. The girl deepened her gaze, and then she frowned.

End of chapter 1

I know I know, sort of Vanilla Sky, but not really. Sorry about my spelling and grammar mistakes, I'll try to improve in the next chapters.  I want to reaaaaaally really thank to Kali-chan, that helped me out with my awful grammar. Also thanks to Tae-san, her story (Fever Dreams) inspired me. I recommend you to read that one ^_^! Well Ja ne! Atte Subaru-san


	2. Traitor

Chapter 2: The traitor

Thanks Kali-chan! [Subaru bows deep]

"T-t-tomoe-san?!!" he asked in awe. The girl deepened her gaze, and then she frowned. She still had her boken pointing him.

"I don't know what are you talking about" the girl responded with a puzzled look. Kenshin rubbed his eyes. He shook his head in despair.

"Shessha…" he murmured with awe, it was really her. He couldn't believe his eyes. His hands were shaking, his heart ached.

"This…can't be true" he said taking a deep breath. The girl moved closer to him, she took his sakabato.

"Did you know sakabatos are prohibited?" she said in her usual and tranquil voice, Kenshin's eyes widened, that happened…but… then the girl rushed to the other side of the street, a tall man was running out from a dojo.

"Matte!! Matte!!" The girl hardly said. The tall man turned, as he presumed to use the Kamiya Kasshin style. The girl caught him, pointing her boken to him. The tall man grinned. Then, he slashed the boken into pieces provoking the girl a deep fear.

"Gohei…" Kenshin murmured, capturing the tall man's attention. His eyes adverted the short red headed man. The tall man hummed as he approached to Kenshin trying to hit him.

"What do you know??!!! I'm Hittokiri Battousai owner of the Kamiya Kasshin style!!" he said as he tried to hit Kenshin. The girl looked in awe at the short man.  The tall man looked at the girl mischievously. 

He tried to hurt her, but Kenshin rushed to save her. The tall man looked at this and then he escaped. Kenshin had the girl in his arms. She had fainted. 

It felt so damn good to be capable of touching her again. Kenshin smiled relieved. 'Dream or not, I'm blessed to touch you again' he thought. He entered the dojo in front of them.  He loosened his grip around her, looking at the dojo he had just entered. 

It was the… *Kamiya Dojo* he entered, trying to find someone over there. He laid Tomoe on his *supposed to be* futon. Although…it wasn't the way he left it. It was like it haven't been used in a long time. He went out of 'his' room heading to the dinning room where he sat. This was a dream? wasn't it? He sensed someone coming, she was standing looking at him.

"Daijabou?" he asked, he had wished for so long to see her again. She only nodded.

"Arigato…" she said quietly, Kenshin look tenderly at her, he stood up and he approached to her. 

"I've missed you" he responded, stroking his thumb on her cheek, she was still quite demure, but looking at her in a gi and hakama make him feel strange.

"Watashi wa Kamiya Kaoru" she murmured with a slight blush. Kenshin's hand fell down to his side in shock. His violet orbs feared he was walking backwards. He shook his head slightly, slowly…It couldn't be…

"Iie! You're…you are!! Yukishiro Tomoe!!!" he retorted, Tomoe was beginning to fear this crazy rurouni. She grabbed her hands across her chest. Tomoe looked deeply at the redheaded rurouni, she approached, his eyes were so afraid, and insecure. She gave a slight beam 'maybe he could calm down if I follow his game' she thought.  She sat on the porch as she bowed in welcoming. Kenshin looked puzzled.

"Tomoe-san??" he asked again. Tomoe winced; this was going to be a hard task.  She nodded slightly; she had to follow the game. Kenshin reached out his hand, his trembling fingers traveled in her ivory hair. He kneeled in front of her, his arms made his way to her back, encircling her into a deep embrace. 

"I missed you so much, gomen nasai Tomoe-san…" He said in a hoarse tone. 

Tomoe was so scared, what was he talking about? Who was Tomoe Yukishiro? What did that woman had to do with this man? She couldn't move, but the feeling of having someone next her, someone hugging her made her arms to move around him. 

She had felt so lonely since her father died. And the students for the Kamiya Kasshin Style weren't enough to keep the dojo open. Maybe having this crazy rurouni wasn't a bad idea after all. The rurouni loosed the embrace and grabbed her arms carefully. His eyes were sparkling with pure happiness.

"I would go and make something to eat. I'll be right back" he said overjoyed. Tomoe only embraced herself, that kind of behavior from the rurouni was giving her creeps. Minutes later…

"Here it is!" he said placing the tray of food on the table. It was the first time he felt so happy. He couldn't hide it. He looked to the spot where Tomoe was sitting.  She wasn't there… he looked up as a fist slammed to the shogi.

"What the heck were you doing?!! We'd been waiting for you!!! And what were you doing? Preparing a meal for two!! Kaoru is sick and you're here?!!! How could you baka!! Let's go!! They are waiting for us in the train station!!" Sanosuke growled his eyes flamed. 

Kenshin looked baffled. But…minutes ago…she… 'The dream was over…' he sighed. He followed Sanosuke out of the dojo. They finally got to the station where Megumi was waiting them with not a pleasant look. Along her was Kaoru she was sitting on a bench her eyes almost closed. Kenshin looked at her and he lowered his head. 

It was his fault, he shouldn't have daydreamed like that, because of him, she was dying… 

Kenshin carried Kaoru into the train, as Megumi dragged Sano to it. She placed Kaoru beside him, Megumi and Sano sitting in front. Kaoru leaned her head on the cold window, breathing heavily. 

The train was the fastest way to get to Kyoto. Kenshin gazed Kaoru, she looked so weak, without that energy he saw the first time he meet her. The train shook slightly, provoking Kaoru's weight lean on Kenshin, her head now on his shoulder. He panicked. 

Sano let a grin, Megumi only sharpened her vixen ears. Kenshin gulped. He closed his eyes, and tried to relax. It felt marvelous when he could feel Tomoe's presence, but know, his chest ached just by feeling Kaoru's head on his shoulder. He let Kaoru's essence fill his nostrils. Jasmine…so sweet yet strong…that odor defined her. 

The train finally arrived to its destiny, Kenshin slowly opened his eyes, he had fallen asleep, his cheek was resting on Kaoru's head. It was so soft, then he looked at the couple in front of them, it was the same position, Sano's cheek resting on Megumi's head, but his arm surrounded her. She woke up abruptly punching Sano for being a perv.

"Oi! Kitsune! Whatcha doin' Mou!!!!" He rubbed his head. Megumi only grumbled as she stood up to pick up the luggage. 

Kenshin tried to wake up Kaoru, she brushed her head on his chin, like a cat…Kenshin gulped nervously. Kaoru opened her eyes slowly. Then she turned around, her face only inches from Kenshin's. She slowly backed away. She was dizzy and with not too much strength.  She stood up, trying to gain some balance, but it was useless. She was falling down as a pair of thin arms caught her. She looked up and smiled softly at him. 

Kenshin's eyes saddened, it was his entire fault. He carried her out of the train, where Sano and Megumi were waiting them.

"Now to the Aoiya" Kenshin said, while Megumi and Sano were following him…

Misao was weeping at the entrance of the Aoiya, she had her usually genki smile. Her Aoshi-sama had escorted her to the market. They hadn't a long chat, but just the feeling of him near her was enough for her. She shaded her eyes, as she saw no far away some figures. The hot air made the blurry figures. She couldn't tell. Then the figures were approaching more and more, until she devised their height, one tall, a medium, and a short one carrying someone, later on, the colors were more visible. Her smile grew more as she threw the broom away. She ran to them waving her arms. 

"Himura-san!! Rooster head!! Megumi-san!!!" she wailed as she approached them. Then she stopped, her face changing from happiness to a mild state of shock. Her features began to worry about looking Kaoru-chan in Himura's arms. She was so pale, so weak. Everyone had a sad expression on their faces, but the saddest one, was Himura's. She lowered her head, then she reach up a hand to caress Kaoru's cheek.

"May I help you?" She asked in a tender voice. Sano grumbled something…

"We need to speak to Shinomori-san de gozaru" Kenshin said in his usually rurouni voice. He tried to cheer her up with a innocent smile. Misao led them inside the Aoiya, where Okina welcomed them. Okon and Omasu prepared some meal for the guests. 

"Okina-sama, we're looking for Shinomori-san" Kenshin said, Okina nodded as he told Kenshin to lay Kaoru in one of the rooms, so she could rest after the trip. Kenshin went upstairs, and laid Kaoru where Okina told him to. He caressed some strands from Kaoru's face. Aoshi was passing by, he looked at the  couple, as his eyes widened a bit. His brows furrowed, and his body tensed up. 'He's here…they should have known…' he thought, anger covered his eyes for a bit, then he leaned on the doorframe.

"Konbawa Shinomori-san" Kenshin said in a serious tone, without looking back at him. Aoshi tensed a little bit more. 'Does he know?'

"Konbawa Battousai" he responded in his icy voice. Kenshin stood up, leading to where Aoshi was standing. 

"I need a talk" he said in a husky voice. Aoshi only nodded and followed him outside the gardens of the Aoiya. 

The walked to a spot, near the temple Aoshi used to go. Kenshin was looking into Aoshi's eyes, to look for an unhidden feeling, any clue that would help to solve Kaoru's sickness. But he found none, he could perfectly hide in those ice blue eyes of his. Of course, he was a ninja, he could hide his feeling perfectly. Well almost perfectly…

"Are you all right?" Aoshi asked first, Kenshin furrowed his brow, puzzlement in his gaze.

"Why are you asking?" Kenshin refuted, still in his husky voice. Aoshi only shrugged. 'Battousai must suspect something…'

"Because of the wound you have on your shoulder" Aoshi easily evaded Kenshin's suspicions. 

"Aa. I'm all right, I've come to Kyoto because of  Kaoru-dono's illness" Kenshin said, his eyes saddening. 'You're worring more than you should Battousai…' Aoshi thought as he saw Kenshin's reaction.

"And, what does it has to do with the oniwabanshu?" Aoshi asked, again his cool expression revealed nothing. Kenshin took out the kunais Megumi extracted from Kaoru. Aoshi's eyes widened in stupor. Kenshin took a glance of it.

"But this kunais aren't from our troop" Aoshi tried to calm down. Kenshin sensed a change on his ki. He looked closely at his eyes.

"Are you sure Shinomori-san?" he said suspiciously. Aoshi nodded gaining again composture. He took one of the kunais on his hand.

"They are poisonous…" Aoshi explained, but Kenshin knew already. Kenshin wanted to know everything Aoshi could know.

"This kunais are from the ancient troop of the oniwabanshu, not mine, neither Misao's" He said examining the sharp thing. Kenshin adverted his eyes on him.

"So you mean this is of an ancient troop, a different okashira?" Kenshin tried to dig on the theme. Aoshi nodded. Kenshin again dared to ask.

"Can you tell from who's troop or okashira is?" Kenshin said. Aoshi placed the kunai again on Kenshin's hand.

"Maybe Okina can help us in this matter, but first we must try to figure out the cure for the girl" Aoshi said entering the Aoiya, leaving Kenshin reflecting about he had just said. 

He followed him inside the Aoiya, and the two went to see Okina. Kenshin explained all the story to Okina, Aoshi slowly got lost in the shadows. Kenshin wasn't aware of that.

"Aoshi-sama where are you going?" Misao skipped from Kaoru's room to the spot where Aoshi was walking.

"I'm going to the temple, if anything happens go and tell me" Aoshi declared as he passed a clueless Misao. He got out of the Aoiya walking to …

"Maybe if I check in my records, and to the antique papers so  I can find something of this troop. Don't worry Himura-san, we'll find out…" Okina tried to confort him. Kenshin smiled, then he turned to see that Aoshi wasn't in the doorframe.

"Where did Shinomori-san go?" asked Kenshin. Okina shrugged, then Kenshin got out of the room. He tried to follow him, but Aoshi wasn't anywhere to be seen. Kenshin was going out, but then Megumi took his arm.

"Kenshin, its Kaoru" her voice worried and anxious.

~*~

"I told you not to leave any single clue!! And what did you do? You messed it all!!! Look what you did!! They have already know that we've done it!!!" his icy glare froze the ninja he had on his grip. 

"But sir! We didn't know that the girl was going to interfere!!" the ninja tried to explain. He looked with anger at the trembling ninja his icy stare was more terrifying. He sighed, then he let the ninja down.

"You're going to get those kunais before they know everything" he said in a cool voice. The ninja panicked.

"But, but! What if they find out!! Battousai will know! He'll kill me!!!" the ninja squeaked. He sighed again.

"Don't worry, I'll soothe Battousai and erase any clue or suspicion" he sighed. The ninja nodded vehemently.

~*~

"We need the antidote quick Kenshin, otherwise she'll probably…" Kenshin shushed Megumi. He didn't want to know that he could lose her. The pain was too much to bear. First Tomoe, then Kaoru? It was too much pain already… 'Please Kami-sama, don't take her…' Kenshin begged mentally as he sat near her. Her fever increased much more, and sometimes she was having convulsions. Minutes later her convulsions vanished, leaving her on a deep sleep. Kenshin and Megumi sighed in relief.

"You must rest Megumi-dono, you'd been attending Kaoru since yesterday. Don't worry I'll stay here all night" Kenshin placed his hand over her tired shoulder, Megumi was so tired she didn't replied. She stood up, but before closing the door.

"Try to sleep too Ken-san, you are a human too" she suggested, Kenshin smiled as he nodded, then she closed the door. 

Time passed, he slept a little bit, but in his usually samurai style sitting down with his sakabout over his left arm. His eyes opened as he sensed a strange ki on the hall. He moved fast, and he was leading to Okina's working room. 'They want their kunais back'  he thought leaving the room in a blink.

THUD!!

SLASH!!

CRASH!!

Kenshin turned on the lights, and he saw Aoshi threatening the ninja with his kodachi. Aoshi was holding the ninja tightly, he had also sensed the ninja.

"What are you doing here?" he said in a husky voice. Kenshin sheathed his sakabatou. The ninja looked puzzled at Aoshi, making him to tight his grip. The ninja gulped. Kenshin was getting suspicious, why did the ninja looked for Aoshi's approval?

"Are you coming for these?" Aoshi took the kunais on his hand, while he was grabbing the ninjas collar with the other. His kodachi already sheathed. The ninja trembled… 'what to say? What to say?' the ninja thought.

"Maybe you can help us, if these kunais are yours, you can take them" he said in a nonchalantly voice. The ninja rapidly tried to reach for them. "But with one condition" he continued, the ninja retreated. 

"As I've seen that you want them, then you should know about the poison there's on the point of them" Aoshi reaffirmed. The ninja was out of words 'Baka!' he scolded himself.  It was obvious that he was on his ninja training phase, he wasn't a ninja itself. Kenshin only looked at the conversation, there was something wrong on this, it was too easy to catch him, then to make him talk…

"Tell us the antidote and you'll have your kunais and I'll let you free" he said coolly, the ninja tried to get out from his grip. Kenshin's attention got to the word antidote. 

"I-I-I don't know the antidote…my okashira does…" he said with a shaky voice. Aoshi's eyes widened, his grip went even more tense. The ninja only gulped. Kenshin was very doubtful about it.

"Why don't you tell your okashira that we will give you the kunais if he sends us the antidote or the recipe of the antidote" Kenshin suggested, taking part of the conversation. The ninja nodded vehemently. 

"But what if he give us the wrong antidote?" Aoshi asked still looking icily at the ninja. Kenshin's glare was more aware.

"I'll swear I'll find you and take you're worthless life in a second…" he warned, his eyes turning in a slight tone of yellow. The ninja panicked, as he nodded.

"I will!! I will!! But let me go!!!" the ninja begged. Aoshi frowned.

"Are you really a ninja? What a shame the name 'ninja' could be worthless in a person like you" Aoshi said. The ninja only shook his head.

"Tomorrow at 12 o clock, in the back garden, we'll wait you there…" Kenshin commanded, the ninja nodded as he crept into the shadows, vanishing away.

"Shinomori-san, do you think we got the antidote too easy?" Kenshin said without looking him, he gave his back to him.

"Indeed Battousai, we must be careful this must be a tramp" Aoshi affirmed, as he walked to his side.

"Daijabou Battousai?" Aoshi placed his hand on Kenshin's arm. Kenshin looked up to his shoulder.

"Aa. I am. Why?" he asked, his eyes focusing on Aoshi's stare. Aoshi made a half 'smile.

"Because you're having qualms about the one who helped you with Shishio" He said his eyes melting a little bit of the ice that he held on them. Kenshin's eyes widened.

"What's next Battousai? Illusions or hallucinations?" he asked passing him by. Leaving him in a mild state of shock. He was so tired, it was 2 o clock. He walked to the room where Kaoru was…

"Kaoru-dono?!!!!" Kenshin looked over the futon, where Kaoru was supposed to be there. But she wasn't, then he looked forward, and there she was, she was wrapped on her sheets, looking at the moon through the window. Kenshin smiled, he placed his hand on her back.

"How are you feeling Kaoru-dono?" he asked in a tender voice. She turned around, then she smiled at him. But then her smiled vanished as she saw the fear in his eyes.

"Daijabou Kenshin?" she asked worriedly. Kenshin backed away, he rubbed his eyes, as he walked backwards, he tripped with the futon as he fell on the floor. His eyes widened, horror in them. She stood up, trying to gain some balance. She crawled to him, she reached out her hand.

"Kenshin, I'm ok, don't worry…yare, yare…" She tried to soothe him. Kenshin recoiled from her hand.

"Why…are you doing this? Where's Kaoru-dono?!" he asked in dispair. She widened her eyes.

"But…but…I'm Kaoru, Kenshin! I'm Kaoru Kamiya!" she tried to explain. Kenshin shook his head, he was trembling. She looked at him in horror, she had never saw him like that.

"Don't try that! You're Tomoe Yukishiro!! Tomoe-san! Please tell me where's Kaoru-dono!" he said grabbing her from her shoulders. She looked panicked, and tears were forming on her eyes.

"I'm here, I'm Kaoru-dono! Your Kaoru-dono! Please Kenshin see me!!" she begged him. Kenshin loosened his grip. Then his head bowed.

"I see you, please Tomoe-san, tell me, why are you making me this?" he said in a saddened voice.

End of chapter 2

C' ya in next chapter!!! Ja ne ^_~


	3. Past's Awakening

**Chapter 3: Past's Awakening **

"I see you, please Tomoe-san, tell me, why are you making me this?" he said in a saddened voice. Her brows furrowed and she tried to approach, but he drew back. He shut his eyes, and he shook his head vehemently.

"Shessha…gomen ne…" he said trying to gain control over his reason.  His hands clutched in fist over the tatami floor. He was still with his eyes shut. She approached him, as she caressed his left cheek, he opened his eyes widely, fear more visible in them. 

"Don't…"he warned, she pulled her hand back, worried about his behavior, she welled up some tears. Her lips were trembling and she was trying to hold her cry.

'Who is she? Who's the one that brings you so much pain?' she asked mentally. Kenshin stood up.

"Before you go…onegai…tell me who is this Yukishiro Tomoe?" she begged, Kenshin turned around to get lost in her deep dark eyes. Her face pale as white as snow, her red lips… couldn't she remember who she is? Was it another dream? A twist of fate? Did she know how much pain it was causing him to see her again? Why was she making this? Where was Kaoru? All this questions swirled around on Kenshin's mind. Then he sighed, looking tenderly at her demure figure.

"Tomoe-san, don't you remember?" he asked tenderly. She only gasped, again Tomoe-san…who was she? 'Maybe if I follow this he'll tell me who she is' she thought. Then she shook her head, looking carefully at him.

"Yukishiro was your last name when you were single, but…when we met each other, you became Himura Tomoe" he said exiting the room, leaving a baffled Kaoru. 

'He…was…married?' she tried to make words more clear. Then she cuddled in the futon, sobbing silently. 

Kenshin could hear her cry, he leaned backwards on the shogi, and lifted his head up to the roof. Maybe the storyteller was right, maybe she had come to finish something. And maybe she had lost her memory in the meantime. But, Kaoru-dono? Where was she? Was he hallucinating Tomoe in Kaoru? He shook his head in denial. It couldn't be, cause she smelled like Tomoe, her voice was as Tomoe's and her touch was as Tomoe's. 

"Why is the girl crying?" Aoshi asked emerging from the darkness lighting up a candle. Kenshin straighten up. He looked away.

"Who do you see?" Kenshin asked, inviting him to look inside. Aoshi gave him a puzzled look, but he did what he was said. 

"A girl crying" he said effortlessly. Kenshin sighed then he shook his head. 

"What's her name?" he asked again. Aoshi was now with a troubled look. 

"It's Kamiya girl…who do you want me to see? Your dead wife?" he murmured without looking at him. Kenshin tensed up looking in awe at him.

"How…how do you know?!" Kenshin asked with and enigmatic emotion. Aoshi closed the shogi. Then he looked him, ice freezing the overwhelmed rurouni. 

"Our information network is the best Battousai, we are ninjas, we know how to search…" Aoshi said walking to his room. The light fading as he passed away.

"Why did you want to know about her?" he asked trying to reach him. He stopped but he never turned back.

"To know your weak point, when I was with Shishio, I wanted to know everything about you…I got some information about your dead wife, and how she died…gomen Battousai, but as it seems, I'm not the only one that investigated about her…" he said keeping up his pace. Kenshin was shocked. 'someone knows…about her? What does she has to do with all this?' he thought, trying to gain some sleep. He covered himself thinking about Aoshi's information.

~*~

"When are you letting me go?" the ninja asked sitting in a corner of the room. Aoshi blew up the candle, making the moonlight illuminate them. 

"You made a great job up there…now, you're getting the antidote…and then you go, but far away so they suspect about us, ok?" he said sitting on his heels. The ninja nodded with a wide grin.

"But sir, you said you were going to erase…" the ninja tried to say but Aoshi shushed him.

"Forget about what I've said, I won't let Battousai interfere in my territory, he'll get what he want, the antidote. But if he gets more into this…there I should take my part and take him out of my way…" he said in his husky voice. The ninja smiled excitedly. Then the ninja disappeared going for the antidote.

~*~

**Next morning:**

Kenshin sensed a ki and smelled blood. He woke up suddenly and he sat up, but some strong hands pulled him back. His eyes searched for the person, he saw Sano's brownish eyes looking down at him. Megumi was there too, but her gaze was on his shoulder, her hands making some movements on it. As she stitched his cut.

"Kenshin stay calm, why didn't you tell me you had an injury?" Megumi asked without looking at him. Her eyes fixed up on his cut. Kenshin looked at her.

"Because it wasn't something to worry about, its just a scratch, Megumi-dono, really…" Kenshin tried to smile. 

"You call a 2 inches deep cut a scratch? Don't fool me Ken-san, I'm checking you if there's any poison on your wound" she said arching her brows. 

"But I'm feeling right, I have no fever no hallucinations, no nothing…" he said sheepishly. Megumi gasped, as her eyes widened. Then a worried expression covered her face. Sano looked surprised at his statement. Kenshin didn't have a clue about what was happening.

"We heard you Kenshin" Sanosuke said without emotion, looking down at him. Megumi unfastened the hankie on her head. She sighed. "You talked about a girl named Yukishiro Tomoe…" Megumi continued Sano's statement. Sano took off his hands from Kenshin, so he could sat up.

"The wound had some poison, but your body metabolized it perfectly. What worries me the most, is that you called Kaoru, Tomoe-san…who is she ken-san?" Megumi tried to ask with a worried expression. Kenshin was doomed.

"Well, don't worry, It doesn't matter, what it's important now it's that Kaoru is graver than the other days. For some reason her defenses lowered last night. There's no more I can do for her…"Megumi said gripping the hankie on her hands. Kenshin looked startled at her. He stood up walking to Kaoru's room. Then, in the shogi, a motionless Misao was unable to pass in. Kenshin approached her. Her face was very sad and the sparkle in her eyes was already gone.

"Why are you waiting outside Misao-chan? Kaoru-dono needs you to be by her side" he said patting her shoulder giving her a cheerful smile. Misao looked at him, some anger on her eyes showed up.

"No, Himura, that's your job!" she said pushing him inside the room, where she was lying motionless. Kenshin's eyes looked in horror at her figure. 'Not again! What's going on!" he said grabbing his head tightly. 

Misao looked at Kenshin's reaction, she backed away, then she crushed with Aoshi's chest. Aoshi was looking Kenshin carefully. 

'She's Kaoru-dono! Not Tomoe! Not Tomoe!' Kenshin shouted mentally. He kneeled. He tried to see Kaoru, or imagine her…but his efforts were useless, he was looking at Tomoe's motionless figure on the futon. Just like the day he fired the cabin…

Kenshin sighed, he closed his eyes, and tried to remember about Kaoru. All the time he had spent with her, and all the adventures he had with her. But as he thought more about it, the less he could remember. Little things were cracking up in his mind. Each memory sinking deep into nowhere. He opened his eyes again. He was still looking at Tomoe, but this time, she was more vivid. He couldn't handle anymore, he couldn't see any traits of the 'supposed to be' Kaoru. He stood up rapidly trying to escape from the room. Aoshi and Misao looked surprised at his reaction. Misao was going to catch him up. But Aoshi stopped her.

"Let me do this, you take care of the Kamiya girl" he said as he followed the redheaded rurouni. Misao entered the room with doubtful steps. She sighed, her eyes closing, she didn't want to see the lamely figure that was lying there.

Aoshi could follow Kenshin, he was sitting on one of the koi's rocks. Aoshi leaned on the nearest tree from the koi. As he looked the confused rurouni look his reflection on the water.

"Battousai…why are you becoming your present into your past? Are you all right? I don't think so, you barely know who Kaoru Kamiya really is…what a good manner of dying, don't you think?" Aoshi stated. Kenshin looked at him, he didn't understand. 

"Knowing that the one you love is hallucinating that you are somebody else" he said crossing his arms over his chest.

"I didn't know you had Saitoh's sarcasm, and I don't know what are you talking about" he said seriously.

"That girl is going to die Battousai, and you don't know who she really is" he said in a deep voice, making Kenshin wince.

"If you're thinking about this is about the poison, you're wrong. The poison you had is already gone, as Megumi explained. What you have is an inner fights you had blocked for so many years" Aoshi said no looking at him. Kenshin only looked away. Misao went running, she was breathing heavily. Kenshin and Aoshi looked at Misao in amazement.

"What is it Misao?" Aoshi asked, Misao held composure as she tried to breath calmly.

"We…need…the antidote…quick" she tried to say. Kenshin widened his eyes. Misao guided them into the building. He walked to the corridor, as he stepped in Kaoru's room. 

He clenched his fists. Why on earth he couldn't see Kaoru? And instead Tomoe?! Megumi searched for Kenshin's recognition. But all he saw was a serious Tomoe lying on the futon.

"She has been calling you…" Megumi bowed her head. Kenshin approached to the lying body, he tried to remember, Kaoru-dono, Kaoru-dono. He closed his eyes as he kneeled in front of her. 

"I'm here Kaoru-dono…I'm here" Kenshin caressed her cheek. her white skin…she turned her gaze to look at him. Tears began to form on her eyes. 'That's the way I always wanted to see me…but he never did…because his heart belongs to the woman he thinks I am…" she stated mentally, as her hand traveled to his cheek. Kenshin smiled, he again was daydreaming about her touch, and how much he had waited to feel her again.

"Leave…" she said in hoarse voice. Kenshin's eyes opened then he looked down. Searching for a reason.

"If you are still seeing Himura Tomoe, leave…" a single tear rolled down her face. Kenshin looked at her in shock.

"What makes you think that I don't see you, Kaoru-dono?" He said emphasizing 'Kaoru-dono'. 

"Because you never looked me that way…I can see it in your eyes…it's not me whom are you looking at…" she stated seriously as she looked away. Kenshin hung his head, as he gripped his hand on hers.

"Don't touch me neither…"she said taking her hand from his. Kenshin felt more miserable.

"At least I can die by saying that I loved you…and that I always will, even you didn't love me back…" she said weeping away her own tears. Kenshin widened his eyes…that's what Tomoe said the day she…

"Your not gonna die Kaoru-dono, you'll see…just wait a little longer…onegai" he said with a brief smiled that faded away at her indifference.

"I told you to leave Kenshin!" she tried to yell, but her heart was too weak to dig farther. 

Kenshin bowed his head, he stood up and turned to leave. He could feel all their gazes on him, but it was her decision. He must go…he closed the shogi behind him. He looked down, not a sparkle in his violet orbs. He walked doomed over the halls, preparing to wander again.

"Are you going to make the same thing you did 11 years ago?" Aoshi appeared from nowhere. Kenshin only nodded exiting the building.

"You barely know who's 'Kaoru-dono' right? That's what hurts you the most, ne?" Aoshi stopped Kenshin with his words. For some strange reason he had no idea who he was talking too. 

For him it was Tomoe Himura…but deep inside he knew it was somebody else. Why did he forgot her? What was so special in her that made him feel so miserable? He was lacking something…but at least he saw Tomoe again. 

A little smile crept on his lips, his eyes still doomed for the person he was forgetting. Aoshi lowered his eyes, he was right, little by little he was converting Kaoru in Tomoe…and he finally replaced Kaoru for her dead wife. Kenshin started to walk again. Exiting the Aoiya. Aoshi he stood motionless in the entrance, looking thoughtfully. Then he turned, as he found an almost weeping Misao. She was drawing her tears back.

"Why did he leave? Kaoru-chan needed him! Even she said she wasn't, she was screaming for him! He has to be there, for her, for her sake!" Misao clenched her fists. Aoshi placed his large hand over her small shoulder, Misao looked up at him in awe.

"He'll come back…" he soothed her. Misao unable to hold back her tears anymore, she crushed herself into Aoshi's chest. Leaving him out of words. Her sobs shushed by his hard chest, he looked down at her in shock. It had been a while since the last time he saw her cry. 

"I don't want Kaoru-chan die!" she said hoarsely. Aoshi reached up a hand to pat her back.

~*~ 

"Oh for Kami-sama's sake! You look more awful than you usually do baka deshi!" Hiko sipped from his sake. Kenshin wasn't in the mood to handle this. So he only sat in front of his master, his bangs covering his eyes.

"I told you I won't teach you and help you anymore" Hiko stated. Kenshin shook his head. 

"I just wanted…to…" he murmured. Hiko sipped again from his sake. Then he closed his eyes.

"You may stay, I need a servant actually to do some housework, and I bet you know 'cause you worked in Kamiya's dojo. And let me guess, the Kamiya girl was sick of you and kicked you out of her house, ne?" he said with a wide grin.

"I've forgot who Kamiya Kaoru really is…that's why I left, she's dying…" he said without looking at his master, a hint of guilt rushed through Hiko. He sighed.

"Were you taking any opium?" Hiko asked, Kenshin lifted up his head as he arched a brow.

"Oro?!" he babbled. Hiko sighed in disbelief. 

"I didn't know the master of the Hiten Misturugi Ryu doped himself" Hiko said. Kenshin went blue, as he wailed his hands and shook his head vehemently.

"Iie Sensei! I don't consume any drug…" he said with little sweat drops over his face. Hiko chuckled.

"Then what the heck is on your mind that you don't know who Kamiya-san really is?" he said angrily as a vein popped out.

"They said Kaoru was dying, but all I see is Tomoe-san lying on that futon instead o Kaoru" he said furrowing his brows."Hmm so you don't remember a thing about her?" Hiko looked more seriously. 

"Only her name…and that I'm lacking something…I don't know what" he said placing his hands over his knees. 

"Now you aren't only stupid but waco!" Hiko said scratching his head. Then he took Kenshin by his yukata's neck and dragged him out of the woods. 

On the way Kenshin told the events he had passed, but instead of naming Kaoru he always mentioned Tomoe as the character of the actions. He retold the events until he got to the woods with Hiko. Hiko was frowning and not a single word came out from his mouth. 

They finally get to the nearest cementer. Kenshin looked to the pile stone where Tomoe was buried. He stood in front of it. But words where vanishing making them blurry. Hiko noticed Kenshin's stupor.

"What does it said Kenshin?" Hiko pointed the written letters on the floor. Kenshin frowned as he tried to read the katanas written on the floor.

"Ka-mi-ya...Ka-o-ru..." he finally blurted out. Hiko's eyes widened, Kenshin looked puzzled at his master. 'This is more serious than I thought' Hiko thought.

"Kenshin, there's no Kamiya Kaoru in that pile stone. It says "Yukishiro Tomoe" Hiko read. Kenshin kneeled but he only saw the 6 katanas on the floor. "So who's the one that I saw in the Aoiya?" Kenshin asked worriedly.

"You must go and find out before it's too late…"Hiko said solemnly. "But she was dying, she was ordering me to leave! I can't go back…" Kenshin stood up, cleaning the dust in his hakama. "Who ordered you?" Hiko asked. "It was Tomoe's figure, but deep inside I sensed a different ki…" Kenshin reflected. 

"I order you to go back, and investigate who is she!" Hiko ordered knowing exactly what he was asking for. Kenshin started with several "But..but…" but Hiko shushed him "I don't care what she ordered you…You MUST go back! You must find yourself and the thing you're lacking, you'll find it there Kenshin, so go!" Hiko snorted. Kenshin thought about is as he slowly walked away.

"I still think that baka gets drugged or something…" Hiko said leaving the cementer behind returning to sip some sake. "Now I'm a kind of counselor…oh kami-sama, what have I done…"

End of chapter 3

Author notes: I don't really know if Japanese cementers have the names of the deceased ones on the floor or in the gravestone. So please be gentle, I don't know THAT much about Japanese culture. I forgot to thank Kali-chan! C'ya in next chapter, please tell me if the characters are too OCC, I tried not, but constructive reviews can help! But please be gentle, I'm sensitive…Thanks Gypsy-chan and Omochi too! And to Noa-chan's objections of Aoshi being a bastard. He's not a bastard, I swear!!!! And I agree that his one of the coolest characters in Ruroken. That's why I included him in my story! I ask you to read the whole story, so you could REALLY know if I'm placing Aoshi as a bastard or not. ^_~ Ja ne!


	4. The traitor's delay

_And I don't want the world to see me_

_'Cause I don't think that they'd understand_

_When everything's made to be broken_

_I just want you to know who I am_

Iris -Goo goo dolls Chapter 4: The traitor's delay. 

"Yahiko! Bring some water! And the oils in my bag! Quick!" Megumi shrieked, while Kaoru was convulsing with great fever. The kid went running out from the room terrified about what he had just seen. Kaoru was trembling uncontrollably and the fever was increasing minute per minute. He tripped a several times, cursing Kenshin, the fate he had chosen. All the hopes he had put on the swordsman had already vanished.  

Now tears were streaming down his face, his family was disintegrating before his eyes. Sano was leaning on the Aoiya's kitchen. His eyes so distant, he was lost too. Yahiko felt rage fill his veins. He won't lose his family again! He fetched some water and grabbed Megumi's bag. Then he ran to Kaoru's room.  He breathed heavily as his eyes were still with that rage. 

He handed the things to Megumi as she quickly made some antidote for her. Yahiko was in shock, looking in trance at the trembling figure lying down. 

"I hate you Kenshin…" Yahiko murmured drawing back his tears. His fists clenched as ire was still on his nerves. Megumi made him exit the room, Kaoru needed some rest so the antidote could do effect. She exited Kaoru's room too. She sighed deeply, as she went to the kitchen. Yahiko went to do some katas to unleash his anger.

Megumi walked heavily, she couldn't do any more, and she was dying. She was dying and she could do anything to help it. Megumi gripped her hands around her arms; she was holding her tears back.

"Hey…" Sano said plainly. He wasn't looking at her; he was looking at the door. Megumi looked at him, as his saddened gaze still was locked on the door. Megumi passed without exchanging any words she wanted to be alone.

"It could be possible that the rooster scares the fox?" Sano chuckled, but his chocolate eyes still sparked with grief. Megumi looked at him defiantly.

"Would you stop your stupid jokes for once! For Kami-sama's sake! Someone's dying and all you do is joking like a spoiled brat!" Megumi greeted her teeth. Sano was caught of guard. 

"Geez fox! I only wanted to make you smile!" Sano grumbled. Megumi still looked at him with not a single smile.

"I didn't ask a clown to cheer me up" she said entering the kitchen. Sano looked a little bit hurt, but he continued mocking all along.

"Are you on your days fox dear? 'Cause you'd been in a lousy mood" he said with a mocking smile. 'THAT WAS IT!!!!' Megumi screamed mentally.

"Can't you get it! This isn't the time for jokes when Kaoru is dying! Don't you know that I care for her, and that it hurts me to see her like that! I don't WANT you to make me smile!!! I don't WANT you being around here! Can't you get it!!! I want to be alone!!" Megumi shrieked whelming some tears. Sano's smile turned to a tender one. Then he looked down.

"I care for Jo-chan too, you know? I just wanted to ease the pain we all are feeling. You've done so much for Jo-chan, and all I can do is sit and wait" he said exiting the room, then he felt some slim hands grabbing his shirt, it was her, her head leaning on the "Bad" kanji. More tears falling to the ground.

"I did everything I could…but it was useless, she's dying…what should I do when I can't save her?" Megumi said hoarsely.

 Sano stopped, as he turned around grabbing both of her wrists, looking at her gently.

"You did everything that was on your hands…you ceased her fever, you can't cure her, but you can keep her here..." he murmured softly. Megumi looked up, her eyes containing tears. She left a sigh escape from her lips as she fell on the gangster's chest. So firm and warm…She slowly made her hands trail his chest. She wanted to be protected, and no to be alone. 

Sano smiled a little bit further as he let his arms encircle her trembling figure. She cried ion his chest, each tear crushing on his skin. Feeling the same pain she was feeling. Then he let his chin rest on her head, as he smelled her hair. Easing the pain. Misao sighed as she saw in her hiding place the couple embracing each other. 

"I wished I could do that too…" she coaxed. Her eyes longed that moment…of course with Aoshi-sama.

"Misao, what are you doing here?" Aoshi asked making Misao trip. Then she looked at him smiling sheepishly. Then she shook her head as she leaped out of scene. Aoshi arched a brow, then he looked at Sano and Megumi embracing each other, looking for the other's comfort…

But it was useless to him to give some comfort with his bloodied hands. Hands that kill, those that seek for revenge do not comfort and do not deserve to love. So many scars, leaving the painful path his past has forbidden him to...

"Aoshi-sama, are you still going to get the antidote, even Himura isn't here?" Misao asked sadly. Aoshi looked at her but still his icy mask covered any feeling he could express. He nodded, Misao's face lit up as a beautiful smile formed. She leaped and landed on him embracing him tightly.

"Arigato Aoshi-sama!!! Arigato!!!" she said excitedly, and then she noticed what she was doing. She was hugging Aoshi-sama, and he wasn't hugging her back. She slowly backed away as she hang her head. A slight 'gomen' escaped from her lips, then she walked away. Sighing deeply. Aoshi was in a mild state of shock, what was that? 'A hug, you baka' he refuted mentally. 

Leaving the couple as he went outside, he looked at his hands as he saw blood spiling on them. He shook his head. 'Now I'm like Himura..' he thought he sat on the koi's rocks where he tried to look at his reflection. Then he closed his eyes as he tried to remember the warmth he had felt before. Then he stood up rapidly disappearing from view. Now he was hiding on a tree.

He felt someone's ki and he went up to see who was coming. Aoshi's eyes widened. 'Himura…' he looked in awe. Kenshin entered the Aoiya as he sensed someone spying him. 

He gripped his hand over the handle of his sakabatou his face calm but alert.  Aoshi leaped from the tree as he landed smoothly over the grass. Then Aoshi bowed. Kenshin did the same.

"Why did you come back?" Aoshi asked coolly. Kenshin looked aside then he let his hand fall from his sakabatou.

"I wanted to solve all this, I just wanted to know who she really is" Kenshin murmured seriously. Aoshi approached Kenshin.

"You won't solve anything, it's already late…" Aoshi said not leaving Kenshin's glare. Kenshin's eyes widened.

"Did she die?" Kenshin asked hurriedly. Aoshi shook his head.

"But she's close to" Aoshi confirmed. Kenshin lowered his head, she wasn't Tomoe, so why was he grieving about her?

As a flash of light, both men stood in defensive, giving their backs to each other. Both sensed a third and a forth ki. Kenshin unsheathed his sakabatou while Aoshi unsheathed his kodachis. Thousands of shurikens and kunais were sent to them. Aoshi and Kenshin easily dodged them making a sort of hollow space between them. Then they not only sensed a third and a forth ki, they sensed at least 29 ki's. Kenshin sweated, his grip was tightening around his sakabatou. The first thing he though was about the Aoiya's security.

"Who are you? Show yourselves!" Kenshin commanded in a warning voice. Aoshi only closed his eyes lowering his kodachis.

"They won't show themselves, they are ninjas…"Aoshi said pointlessly. 

"Trying to get something from our troop Shinomori?" One of them called from a strategic location. Aoshi's jaw tightened.

"You're not allowed to menace us! If you want the antidote, fine! It's yours! But first defeat us!" The 'one' appeared from shadows showing a triumphant smirk. Aoshi only adverted his eyes upon him.

"That icy glare won't make my legs tremble, so don't try to look 'mad'" The 'one' winked as another wry smiled appeared on his uncovered features.

"It's been a long time, ne Shinomori?" He leaped down, his hands behind his back. Then he took a small paper bag from his back showing it two the two men in front of him.

"Do you want this?" He moved the bag, taunting, searching. Kenshin's eyes widened then he frowned tightening his hand on the hilt of his sakabatou. Aoshi only nodded.

"Well then, say 'Please All-mighty Hidaka! I beg you to give me the antidote!!!" He declared, letting a high piercingly laugh. Aoshi arch a brow, what kind of joke was that?

"Give me the antidote" Shinomori hissed Himura only kept an eye for the other ki's. Hidaka took one step closer.

"Or what?" He said with a wider smile. Aoshi glared at him tightening more his kodachis. 

"Or you'll die..." Hidaka chuckled at the last Okashira's statement. Kenshin only stared a bit. 'Kill again? But at what cost?' Kenshin thought sensing that the other ki's started to move.

"Oh I think I'll call my mommy, I'm so damn scared…" Hidaka mocked. Aoshi growled deeper positioning into a fighting stance. Kenshin did the same.

"Himura, whatever you do, don't use the Hiten Mitsuryugi Ryu Ougi…"Aoshi murmured as his back was roughly joined with Himura's.

"The Amak…" Kenshin tried to say but Aoshi shushed him.

"Just don't…" Aoshi stated as he charged Hidaka.  Hidaka was dodging every swing Aoshi made. While Kenshin was battling with the rest of the ninjas using some Do Ryu Sen (when Kenshin slashes the ground near (or underneath) opponent, lifting the ground sending the opponent flying backwards) to locate every ninja's hiding place. 

Then Kenshin used a couple of Ryu Tsui Sen (when Kenshin dives down from the air striking the opponent in the back) with some Ryu Sho Sen (Kenshin jumps upward shoving his sword into the opponent's neck). 

Aoshi and Hidaka were in their own fight; Hidaka was mocking him while dodging every attack Aoshi made.

"KIYAAAAA!!" A battle cry stopped both men from fighting. Kenshin stayed in instance while the former ninjas stopped too.

"Anta Baka?! I'm Misao Makimachi! Let me down you moron!" Misao struggled from the enemy's grasp.

"Well well well, what do we have over here? The kawaii genki Makimachi Misao! You've had grown!" he said in a brotherly wryly tone. Aoshi clenched more his fists over his swords.

"Don't you remember me?" he said with a teary voice, but in seconds cracked in a cynical smile.

"How could I remember you?!" She struggled some more.

"I'd be a more capable okashira than you are Shinomori, but Okina chose wrong. Well everyone makes mistakes, ne?" Hidaka leaped to a tree.

"What are you talking about!!!?" Misao demanded, Hidaka chuckled as some ninjas revealed the oniwabanshu tied up.

"What a shame…I only used a few to capture them" he shook his head disappointed.

"But don't worry, my masquerade was done, as you told me to…" he grinned mischievously. Aoshi's eyes widened in horror, as all the members of the Oniwabanshu did the same. Misao stopped struggling as shock penetrated her.

"Here's your package…now I hope you do your part well, you told me to act, but you never told me to shut up my mouth! HA HA HA!" Hidaka started laughing loudly, as the package fell down on Aoshi's feet. Hidaka signaled to let the Oniwabanshu free, and disappeared in the fog.

"I'll give you only one week to complete your part, if you don't…she'll die too!" Hidaka say grabbing Misao's wrist, Misao tried to kick him but it was useless. He pulled out a small dart and pinned it on Misao's flesh. Misao's eyes widened as a moan escaped from her lips. She backed off taking out the goddamn thing. She turned around to yell him but then he was gone too.

An awkward silenced filled the Aoiya. No one spoke; even Megumi and Sano were looking the fight from the entrance to the building. Misao stayed on the roof, the wind playing roughly with her braid.

Okina shadowed his features as he coldly proclaimed.

"As a former member of the Oniwabanshu and Misao's mentor, I command you to give some explanation to the events earlier."

"I don't have to explain you anything Okina" Aoshi grimly said.

"Yes you have! Misao is involved in this! You are involved in this!" Okina's anger radiated in his flaming aura.

"This is my mission, I can't involve anyone on it!" Aoshi angrily declared walking towards the temple.

"Misao is involved now! Don't you care?!" Misao's eyes widened as fright consumed her, she really didn't want to hear that response.

"I told you, I'll arrange all this on my own!" He said without looking back. Okina rushed towards Aoshi as he grabbed his arm turning him to see the old man.

"Iie, Aoshi. You don't have to arrange anything if you're a traitor!!" Okina yelled. Aoshi looked down, as he frowned and pushed Okina's grasp aside. Aoshi turned around and walked towards the temple. Okina's rage was worse than in the battle, he was ready to attack him but two slim hands grabbed his wrists.

"Don't…Don't make it worse, if Aoshi isn't with us, we should do some research by our own." Kenshin advised and slowly loosened his grasp. Okina sighed deeply as his head hung down.

"Now everybody inside…" he ordered. Everyone nodded, as they slowly made their paths inside the building. Megumi was already boiling the water for the herbs. While she was preparing the antidote the rest were sitting on the dinning room, still shocked.

"Where is Misao?" Okina frowned as his forehead rested on his updrawn hands. Everybody looked at each other. 

"She was still out, sitting on the roof." Sano murmured. His hands behind his nape, biting a bonefish.

"Should I…?" Omasu tried to ask, Okina shook his head slowly.

"Thank Kami-sama we have you over here Himura, arigatou gozaimasu." Okina murmured sadly, tired.

"Iie de gozaru" Kenshin bowed.

~*~

Misao was still sitting on the roof, her head hidden over her updrawn knees, the cool breeze fidgeting her long braid her dark bangs of hair covered her gloomy situation. A slim hand rested on her shoulder, she jumped back in response. She shook her head and was ready to…

"Himura I don't want you to…!" she trailed off as her eyes widened looking at the owner of that hand.

"Kaoru-san!! What are you doing here?! On the roof?! But you…have you taken the antidote?!" Misao said grabbing the ill girl's shoulders. Kaoru smiled lightly.

"How could you climb up here?! Without being seen?! You have to rest!! Come, I'll take you down" Misao was trying to carry her, but Kaoru stopped her.

"It's just that I'm too weak to be seen. I heard all that noise and I decided to see what happened. Finally I got out, with too much effort really, and hide behind that tree. Then I saw the ladder and thought I could see the battle better from the roof" she said restlessly. Misao's jaw hung down.

"Only to see the battle?!" an annoyed Misao shrieked.

"Yes, maybe it's the last time I see Kenshin in battle" she muttered in a shy and sad voice. Misao frowned and pointed the ladder for Kaoru to go down.

"Are you nuts?! You don't make any sense! The last time you saw him, you pushed him away!!" Misao gritted her teeth. Fists among her sides.

"Hai, I did. But that doesn't mean that I can't watch him battle for the last time ." She gazed straight ahead as her lips curved.

"What do you mean?!" Misao's frown deepened more.

"It doesn't matter Misao-chan, lets go down…" she said in a merry tone. Misao doubted a bit, then nodded as she stood up, grabbing Kaoru tightly.

"Thank you for everything…Misao-ch…" she trailed off as she fainted on the youngest Oniwabanshu. Misao yelled at the top of her lungs.

"No! Don't die on me! Not now!! We have the antidote!! Please wait! WAIT!!" the youngest Oniwabanshu shook Kaoru in frenzy.

Kenshin and the others hearing Misao, went outside immediately.

"Hey you baka weasel girl! What the heck are you doin' up with Jo-chan?!" Sanosuke snorted.

"Iie Baka tori!! She was here by her own will!!" Misao retorted hysterically. Everyone got stunned at her answer.

"She did what?!!" Everyone asked.

"Misao-dono, hold on a little longer, I'll help you to carry her" Kenshin declared leaping into the roof. But as he approached the unconscious body fear started creeping all over his body. It...it…was Tomoe-san, right? Right?!

But then he reflected the way she said those fierce words, those words weren't from Tomoe…but as he approached more, he knew she was Tomoe because his nostrils filled with the intoxicating white plums essence.

Idly, Kenshin took 'Tomoe' in his arms, as a small smile possessed his features. 

"Don't you remember her yet, Himura?" Misao asked leisurely. Kenshin looked down at her, as another smile crept to his face.

"Remember who?" he bluntly said. Misao frowned, as she looked disappointed.

"Who do you see?" Sano joined the conversation. Kenshin looked up to find a worried expression over the gangster's face.

"Tomoe, of course…but what worries me the most is that she isn't the same…" he muttered slowly. Everyone look at each other in puzzlement. Then their attention came back to Kenshin. A SD form of chibi Misao yelled at himura.

"BECAUSE SHE ISN'T THAT PERSON!!!!!" 

"Oro?" Kenshin was almost deaf. And everyone fell down to the floor.

"Can't Megumi check the wacky rurouni's head?" Misao said mournfully. Megumi sighed and shook her head.

"The first thing we have to do is to give Kaoru-san the antidote…" Megumi responded, as she guided Kenshin and everyone else to the building.

'Kaoru-san?' Kenshin asked himself mentally. The name was so vague so blurry. 

Maybe his master was right, he came back to find his new answer…

End of Chapter 4

AN: T_T sorry for the delay, it's just that exams, graduations, birthdays, and FF.net failures got all the time to finish this chapter. I promise to bring more chapters up in a briefer period of time..


	5. My Sacrifice

_Kanashikute__ kanashikute  kokoro chigiresou na yoru_

_Sore demo nao shinjite miru_

_Hosoi kibou tsunaide_

_Sadly, Sadly my heart will break during the night_

_But still i'll believe in what i'm looking for_

_With my fragile hopes_

**~ Sorairo ~**

**Chapter 5: My sacrifice.**

"Aiyaaaaaa! Minna-sama! Sleeping beauty woke up!" A bouncing Misao was waking each one of the Aoiya members, including the Kenshin-gumi.  Everybody ran towards Kaoru's room, and started to laugh, smile and hug each other in contentment. 

Jiya started to pour some sake in the early morning, as Sanosuke hugged Yahiko's and Megumi's head in bewilderment. The scene was showing a lot of happiness, even the now totally recovered Kaoru was smiling too.

Everyone seemed to be happy, except the little redhead, Kenshin. He was smiling, but yet his violet orbs deceived him, he was all confused, how could it be possible for a ghost to get poisoned? 

If Tomoe-san has lost her path to heaven, and make a stop in the Aoiya, then why she was on a risk? A ghost do not feel any pain, or anything that might hurt.

Kenshin observed 'Tomoe' from head to toe, scrutinizing each one of her features. Yes, it was Tomoe, there was no doubt of it. Her snowy skin, her raven dark hair, her soft blood lips, and her deep dark eyes all those facial appearances were of her, her essence. 

Then the past events came to his mind, the girl that supposed to be Tomoe, asked him to go, but then as he saw her eyes again, he saw that she wasn't looking him as angrily as the other time. Still grief and distress lighted up her fond pools.

"Are you hungry Kaoru-san?" Megumi asked quite polite, Sanosuke snorted and glared at the vixen beside him.

"Since when are you so gentle, kitsune?" as a reply, he was elbowed by the doctor.

"Iie, maybe I should stand up, I think too much being in bed made my muscles frail." She said trying to stand up, a thin man was placed in her shoulder.

"Iie, Tomoe-san, you should rest, yesterday we gave you the antidote and…" he trailed off sensing the ki's change from all the gumi. He snapped and looked at all the glares and daggers sent to him. Kenshin at last, looked at 'Tomoe', for a second he thought to see her in wild shock, but the expression was changed for a sad smile.

"Iie, don't worry Himura-san, I'll be allright." She said softly, kenshin smiled warmly at her, finally, Tomoe's voice and temper were back to normal. Now all the glares changed to stares and their new direction was Kaoru.

"Yahiko, why don't we spar a little in the backyard? You've been getting lazy since my absence." She said with a big warm grin. Yahiko was so shocked at this that he didn't even call her 'busu'. 

When did Kaoru change so quickly of mood? Maybe she was hiding her feelings and she just wanted to move on, no one knew about it, but those questions were in everybody's head. 

Yahiko silently followed the all recovered Kaoru, and both of them were sparring in the Aoiya's background, her movement's were still slow, but after some brief hours she had the same agility.

Still, minna was so shocked that they stood looking at her for hours. Until Okina made some orders to the Oniwabanshu, and a whole normal day was occurring in the Aoiya. But still, there was someone missing. Aoshi.

Nobody knew or saw him in the entire day, not until the midafternoon meal. The oniwabanshu and the Kenshin gumi were sitting together celebrating Kaoru's recovery. Even Kenshin started to forget about all the confusion on his head and enjoyed himself through the meal.

"Tomoe-san, could you hand me the fish, onegai?" He said almost happily without worrying about other matters. Still everyone stopped death on their duties; Sano and Yahiko froze, while the piece of fish they were fighting for plopped into the table. Megumi-san was still pouring tea on Misao's overflowed cup, while Okina choked with the sake he was drinking.

Kenshin didn't know what was going on; he looked at the startled faces of his friends and then started to frown puzzled. He looked straight forward and saw the same sad smile Tomoe had in the morning.

Gently but slowly, she nodded her head and hand out the plate of half fish to the redhead. Then her gaze lowered, not wanting to cry at the moment.

"Why didn't you tell him, your name is Kaoru?!" Misao blurted out quite frustrated. Kaoru's sweet smiled was now fixed in a hard blank stare.

"Because he will still see Tomoe. If this is the way to make Kenshin look at me in such a loving way, I don't care. I'll…I'll be everything he wants me to be…" She murmured, but still the room was so quiet that most of the table heard her.

"NANI!? Are you nuts?! That's so, so…" Misao couldn't find the perfect word to her friend's actions.

"Stupid." Sanosuke completed her phrase, his jaw tightened, and his eyes were just on fire.

"But the first and last time, I have to agree with that Kaoru-baka, just because you yearn for him too much, doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your identity." Megumi pointed out with some anger in her voice. Misao only nodded vehemently.

"I'll be always Kaoru, but just for him, I'll be Tomoe-san, if he needs his wife in his blurry mind, at least I shall give it that wish to him. It doesn't mean that I'll behave like her, I will just follow his madness." Her blank stare started to get moist a little.

"That's utterly stupid." Sanosuke snarled. Then Kaoru shot a death glare to the gangster.

"Then you've never fallen in love." She stated shortly, astonishing everyone in the table. But Kenshin, Kenshin was now in 'Lala land' thinking about the past events, not even suspecting about the heated conversation on the other side of the table. 

"Oi, Kenshin, are you listening to what they're saying?" Yahiko asked poking the rurouni's shoulder. 

"Oro?" he blurted looking at the kid beside him, Yahiko heaved a sighed, someone recovered and then someone fell mentally sick.

"Nee, Megumi-san! When are you going to check his head?" Yahiko interrupted the almost war between, Okina, Misao, Kaoru and Megumi. Megumi, who froze in midair from attacking Sanosuke with the bowl, sighed and let it drop on the table.

"The last time I checked him, there was no signs of contusions or bruises on his head." Megumi gave a quick glance to a very baffled Himura.

"Well, I guess we should shave his head, with so much hair maybe you haven't seen  it clearly." Sanosuke suggested, Kenshin paled right away, grabbing his head tightly.

"Shessa daijabou!" he squirmed at trimming his precious messy red mane.  Megumi sighed at the 'intelligent' baka-tori's statement.

"I think is more emotional than physical damage." Megumi stated observing Kenshin carefully.

"Whadda ya mean with emotional damage?" Sanosuke asked, scratching the top of his head. Megumi stroke her chin thoughtfully, again staring at the nervous former Battousai.

"In more simple words for baka-toris; he's crazy." Sanosuke facevaulted instantly. While Kaoru and Misao exchanged mystified looks.

"We all knew from the beginning there was something wrong on Himura's head. But, now he's gone far, too far." Misao pondered out loud. Megumi cocked slightly her head.

"Maybe he had blocked his past so many years that know those feelings arise and confuse his poor fragile mind, assembling Kaoru on the image of his past. In other terms, Tomoe." Megumi said more to herself than to the more confused gumi.

"And after you've said all that psychological speech. How are we going to 'cure' him?" Sano inquired gaining some composure from the last assault.

"I think Megumi-san's theory isn't all right. Maybe Kenshin is assembling Tomoe's figure in Kaoru's figure because they are the women Kenshin have loved." Misao interrupted gathering her hands in her chest with a very mushy face.

"But if Kenshin loves Kaoru, then why is he seeing his dead wife?" Sano asked again, Misao's mushy world destroyed in a few seconds, then she went all gloomy.

"Shiranai, demo, maybe Kenshin wants more Tomoe than Kao…" Before saying more, Misao cut herself off, covering her mouth with both hands.

That hurt…a lot…

But then, if it was true?

She had made a decision, If he wanted to see her so much, then she'll let him use her, aside from her pain and sorrow.

But outside Kaoru, she didn't demonstrate a slight gush of anger, sadness or other. She was just staring blankly at Kenshin, without looking at his eyes, just to his hair.

Kenshin couldn't see 'Tomoe' and he didn't know why, so many moments together and he couldn't even look at her? There was something rare about this 'Tomoe' maybe Tomoe possessed the body of this girl 'Kaoru-san' and only Kenshin could see it was her. A genuine smile struck Himura's senses.

"Now I get it! Tomoe-san possessed Kaoru-dono's body and I'm the only one who can see her." He said it so elatedly that anyone from the table wanted to contradict him. But yet again, the weasel girl stood up fiercely.

"Then why don't you remember Kaoru-chan?!" Kaoru grasped Misao's wrist so tightly that Misao wasn't able to go ahead with her further hypothesis.

"Maybe the possession deleted all my memories. Gomen nasai Kaoru-dono, for calling you an object of my wife's games." He bowed courteously. 

"Don't worry Himura-san, Kaoru-dono will be just fine. K-koishi…" Kaoru whispered so demurely that Kenshin snap up his head looking at her. 

_It's her! That's the way she talks! That's her essence!_

He thought eagerly, another pleased smile formed on his lips. Kaoru just lowered her eyes, she was tricking him, and he seemed so innocent when she replied him like that. Maybe if she continued this fake relationship she could see a genuine smile, he had never let Kaoru to see it.

"I'm not gonna let you do this Kaoru-chan! You're going too far!" Misao said so heatedly that Kaoru crept back from her. And with those words, Misao went to backyard, to meditate, to think the stupidity her friend was doing.

-*-

"Kaoru no baka, she doesn't care, her own happiness after his…" Misao kicked a little pebble from the koi, and without ever seeing her uncounsious soul headed her to the temple. Without realizing it, she looked up to find the temple where her beloved meditated, her eyes widened, as flashbacks from the last night shuddered in her mind.

Gaining all the confidence she needed, she stepped into the temple, and there he was, till that night he has been all day there. But he wasn't meditating, his ki wasn't as calm as it always was, he was tense, she could know by the curves of his back, his neck, the skin was so tense that it seem like it could break any minute.

"A-a-aoshi-sama?" Misao quivered at the thick atmosphere in there, her head peered from one of the principal columns, no reply or action came from him. She approached to him, with smooth and light steps, she didn't know why she was doing this, he was a traitor, ne? Then why on earth her hand was reaching out to place it on his back?

"Don't dare to touch me." He roughly said, as commanded, Misao's hand drew back. Harm on those emerald green eyes decorated her features. A wicked smile crossed her lips as her hand fell limp by her side.

"Nanda?" she inquired shortly, pleading, begging for an answer. Aoshi looked over his shoulder; the iciest and harsh stare was given to her.

"If you think that I'm a traitor, you may believe I am…" his rasp cold voice thickened the atmosphere even more.

"I don't think that…but then…" Misao would believe her Aoshi-sama if he said the world was square. Yet again, all the proofs and the dialogues between Hidaka and him were making him the traitor he denied.

"I'm no one to convince you to know what is right Misao, for the moment, I don't want to see you or the others for the time being." Now he stood up, leaving a much crushed Misao kneeling and looking to his left spot.

"Demo! Where are you going then?!" She abruptly stood up, lifting herself attaching her fist in his old oniwabanshu uniform. Aoshi didn't seem a touched by this.

"Far away from home, this is not of your concern." Aoshi gently placed his hands on hers, and smoothly eased her grasp.

"It concerns me, because we are Oniwabanshu! It's our honor, our loyalty to our family!" Aoshi still had his hands on her, as he slowly bashed them away.

"Remember one thing Misao, Ninjas aren't samurais, ninjas haven a code to honor and loyalty." After saying that, Aoshi left a baffled Misao, his retreating form faded away in the shadows.

_I would believe you even you say the sky is green…_

She smiled to herself, finally understanding Kaoru's decisions, her sacrifice.

**End of Chapter 5**

I've made this chapter quicker than I thought; good music makes a good buddy in your writings you know? I'm so excited so many people had reviewed my work! I feel so pleased T_T! And I'M SORRY FOR THE DELAY! ME BAD! It's just that sometimes inspiration vanished as dust in the wind. I know I made it too mushy this chapter, but hey! The rating says romance, ne? thanks for STILL reading my never-ending story! Jaa na! Arigato gozaimasu! Suu-chan.


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